What exactly are the underpinnings of a Feeling and Body Oriented Depth Psychotherapy practice? How do we create "The Wide Open Field of Permission" that is so necessary for this work? What exactly do therapists do, why and how do they do it?

Dr. Paul Vereshack, B.A, M.D., D.Psych. is a Canadian Depth Therapy practitioner of forty years experience and the author of the book, "The Psychotherapy of The Deepest Self," which is fully available on his web site as, "Help Me - I'm Tired of Feeling Bad."

This kind of work, sometimes referred to as Primal Therapy, is often misunderstood. Paul suggests that before attending the free evening lecture it would be helpful to read his on line book at, www.paulvereshack.com and this is a prerequisite for attending the intensive teaching group mentioned below.

In the free evening lecture during the first hour he will describe his view of the mind/body processes which lie at the heart of this practice. In the second hour he will talk in detail about what exactly he does in helping clients to achieve very deep work on themselves. The third hour will be fully devoted to demonstrations, questions and discussions about what has been put forward.

Following the lecture there will be an eight day Intensive training course. This will be done in a small group, limited to 12 participants. We will work for six hours a day, using each other as subjects to experience first hand the issues connected with this, or any other very deep psychotherapy.

Complete information about Dr. Vereshack and his teaching methods is available on his web site, mentioned above, as is an entire book of instructions, a brief biography of his life and very much more. Please read the Training section of the website for an understanding of how these workshops are conducted.

This course, because we will use ourselves as subjects for demonstrating depth therapy principles, requires that if necessary, each person be prepared to handle in themselves very high levels of psychological tension. Participants must be able to contain, and where they wish, to process powerful feelings. We make every effort to create a safe environment using modern group and depth therapy principles. No one is ever pressured to take part in processing feelings on the mat although it may be suggested. None the less these groups can cause powerful feelings to arise, and anyone attending is expected to understand that this is a teaching program and not a treatment facility. Previous therapy experience as a client is expected, as is an understanding of very deep therapy methods and procedures as set out in Dr. Vereshack's on line book mentioned above.

Follows lecture and runs each day up to and including, Tuesday April 1st (4 full days), 9:00 AM till Noon and 2:00 PM, till 5:00 PM. There will be a goodbye dinner on the last evening.

Cost:

€340 Accomodation and meals are not included in this fee.

A non refundable deposit of half the fee, or €170 is required with registration before December 15th 2007 and the remainder of the fee is due by Jan 15th, 2008. Payments should be made by bank transfer to Ms. Luft, listed below.

This workshop did a wonderful job in connecting us together, and helping us to better understand each other. It improved the trust between the members of our association.

It was a very intense and good time of learning and being together.

Paul explained a lot about why he is doing what he does,
(in Feeling and Body Oriented Psychotherapy), which is now a help to us in our own work as therapists.

R.B. Female (Therapist and non therapist Group)

I often have had difficulties in groups. Paul quickly created an atmosphere of respect and trust, so here I was able to let myself work with my feelings. After 2 people left the group early on because they found that this process was not right for them, the participants worked intensively. For me a special feeling of attachment to the group developed. I had a chance to see others also fighting hard to get free from emotional pain, precisely like myself.

Paul lead us with very much experience, know how, a keen ability to see us, and with much sensitivity. This was the first time I had experienced a kind of none directive primal therapy, combined with an excellent combination of some “Gestalt Therapy” techniques.

For me, the regular “housekeeping” (Paul asking for feedback each morning about the process, including how the group felt about his work) was a very pleasant and clearing experience. Issues about the therapist’s function, or the group process, could be expressed openly, and were cleared honestly and with understanding.

In this workshop I learned what it is possible to arrive at in a good psychotherapy. I am encouraged, and now know even better than before what I am searching for in therapy here in Germany.

This was a very good experience for me. Please reserve a place for me in the Heidelberg 2009 Group.

A.T. Female Psychotherapist (Therapist Group)

The 4-day workshop with Paul meant a lot to me both personally and professionally.

I appreciated his subtle and precise approach and felt comprehended and understood. His clear and simple instructions made it easy for me to engage with my feelings. Because he respects and appreciates each of our steps in this work there is no pressure to perform and no need to deliver anything such as a First Line Primal.

Another positive fact was that Paul didn’t pronounce any judgements with regard to the phase a patient was currently going through. Instead he remained open through the whole process to see what would arise and develop.

Thanks to his own openness and readiness to self-reflect it was easy for me to trust him. He acts in a humane and approachable way and as a therapist shows no need to stand above others or to evoke a mysterious aura around his person.

In consideration of the fact that some trauma therapists keep warning against retraumatization it was both liberating and encouraging for me to meet someone like Paul who insistently and with commitment stands behind intense emotion work.

I value him for being very present, upright and humorous, and as a person who has gone through the highs and lows of human life himself and who can appreciate his own life path and therefore the paths of others.

It was good for us as GIPT (German Integrative Primal Therapy) members to share this workshop experience. I have the feeling that we all got closer because of it and I hope that this will have a positive effect on our future cooperation.

I would like to take part in the training next spring 2009

H.D. Female Psychiatrist and Primal Therapist (Therapist Group)

Paul, I remember the time with you with warm feelings..... to give you a short feedback: I appreciate your humor and your softness when you were working with us.... and I am looking forward to our next meeting...

M.K. Female Psychotherapist (Therapist Group)

I was happy to meet a therapist who has a lot of experience and the professionalism to work with deep feelings in this way. This was a very good workshop in intensive feeling therapy.

R.H. Female, Psychotherapist (Therapist group)

Hi Paul,

I had good feelings about what was happening during the course, being together with you and the members of the group. I was pleased about your carefulness in the work you did with our process.

There is one aspect which I remember now, more than it was obvious to me at that time. You seemed to me to be after the workshops, tired and even exhausted. No wonder after having accompanied all our deep feeling processes, and handling your own within yourslf day after day. Looking back now, months later, I wonder how you managed to do it all.

I remember especialy the scene were I shouted and screamed at you, as though you were my father and again as though you were my boss. This seems to have done me good. Nothing spectacular, but since then I feel less anger and strain about my situation at work, and I am more relaxed when I meet this man.

It seems to me like the work we did brought about an integration of something in my soul, and it happened to me without my actually thinking about it.

S.B. Female, Psychotherapist (Therapist group)

What really touched me in your work Paul, was seeing you letting the process flow in the direction it wanted to go, without putting your own expectations in it. Open minded and open hearted, that’s how I saw you working.

W.K. Therapist of 20 years experience and training with many well known therapy teachers. (Non Therapist group)

The group was an outstanding experience for me and this was just the right kind of introduction I was seeking into "deep feeling therapy":

Not much theory, but much practical experience and working on our / my
own problems. The depth and intensity of the feelings were really
outstanding and I could really FEEL the statements you were making in
your book: Going into our worst feelings deeply, long and intensively
enough does bring about a feeling of relief, it feels "right" and it
feels liberating and positive (after a while). I was never able to
experience this kind of intensity and relief in any other therapy !!!
The group process intensified this whole process even more. The group
was safe enough to bring out my own personal problems with unknown
candor and vengeance.

You were able to lead the group with great intuition, persistance and
warmth. You made it possible for me (and others if I may say so) to come
out of our emotional hiding and present ourselves, "emotionally naked"
and vulnerable. To do this and create the kind of emotional atmosphere
to let this happen takes skill, experience and courage. You have all of
this !

In my work as a therapist I was able to go deeper and more directly to
the "core issues" of my clients and it enhanced and intensified my
therapeutic work. For what you have done I want to thank you from my
heart. You are a great guy!

I also want to comment on our "run-in" we had when I was on the mat.
When I was finished with my work you said "I am totally unconvinced".
I started shouting at you with great anger.
Yes, it felt terrible for me when you said that to me after I let out
my innermost feelings at a moment when I was most vulnerable. I was
furious, angry, insulted, taken advantage of, felt betrayed and very
disappointed.

This lasted for 2 days. I was ready to leave. I thought this was a
definite mistake of yours and a bad one at that.

Then you had the great courage and the personal strength to apologize
and my anger and disappointment vanished pretty much immediately. I
hold no grudge against you and I respect you as a person and a
therapist. This episode was only one part of the whole experience and I
do not want to exagerate this. The positive things I could expeience
for myself clearly outweighted anything negative.

I am not sure if I want to take this course again, but will not hesitate
to recommend it to anybody who has an interest in this. My curiosity and
interest in "deep feeling therapy" and related topics is still high.

In closing: Thank you Paul for a great week of personal experience of
great intesity, both emotional bliss and emotional horror and everything
in between. You gave all you could with passion, candor and great skill.
No group I have ever taken came even close to this experience.

T.J. Male, (Non therapist group)

Two weeks after the invaluable intensive workshop in Heidelberg I can tell only one thing: Thank you so much for being there, guiding me throughout the therapy and helping me to be who I really am. Your surgical methods are unique and very precious, and your utter dedication to the process that the person before you is going through makes me cry every time I think of it.
This intensive week in Heidelberg 2008, was a really invaluable experience for me in every possible way. There were moments that were a bit harder, but every part of me longs for exactly that type of precise surgery.

I would like you to reserve a place for myself as soon as you accept participation applications for the next seminar in Heidelberg in 2009.

I.P. Male (Non therapist group)

Paul's group is a special place for those who seek the truth about themselves.

The truth, through his interventions in the group, and though the interactions between members always found its way out into the open. He deals with participants in an almost artistic way, holding a tight hand over the situation, yet gently opening the doors to people so they can resolve their conflicts by themselves. He never pushes too hard or explains people’s motives.
During one of my deep sessions Paul gave me what he calls “nurture,” by simply holding me while I was lying in my childhood agony. In those moments I felt I had received something deeply human, at a time when I was open enough to let myself feel what I needed, from someone who saw my pain, did not judge me or need anything from me.

By holding me and not just leaving me in endless pain, he did not take the pain away from me. On the contrary, during the process I suddenly became aware of what I actually do every day to meet these simple needs, and why I do it. This realization brought me more sadness and shame. The next day however, I awoke feeling a certain shift, and closure around this issue, after which I felt free, and wanted to do things I had not wished to do for a long, long time.

One of the biggest insights came to me in a dream which was brought about by another session .In the dream which was full of details about my daily struggles with people and with myself, I was living my life in a big house by the sea.

Suddenly the walls of the house started to come down, revealing the house I used to live in as a child. I recognized members of my family and the details of events, especially my fears, and how the way I react in the present is so similar to the way I reacted in the past. Everything fell into place.

I heard the voice of my mother and felt the old pain. I woke up astonished at my understanding, which was that the invisible walls within me make everything I do, in a way, a kind of defence.
I feel touched Paul, in the way you worked with me, privileged to have received your humanity, and to have been be part of your group.

J. H. Male, Psychiatrist and Primal Therapist (Therapist group)

Paul, regarding comments about the group: I would have liked a second room in which to work on the feelings that the workshop triggered in me.

The work I witnessed in your group was touching and instructive.

It was helpful for me as a therapist to learn that we do not have to know everything about where precisely the client is, deep inside themselves. (Paul’s note: Insisting on this kind of reporting in a regular way from a client slows and freezes the process.)

In my case, going for the feeling directly, getting me to externalize it with simple sounds while looking into people’s faces, and not allowing me to talk it away, or beat around the bush, connected me with early childhood pain around my relationship with my mother, and her hurtfulness towards me.